Planning a Photograph is not in my Comfort Zone
I’m going to make 12 photographs over the next 12 months by visiting The Parklands of Floyd’s Fork weekly for at least 48 weeks between March 2022 and February 2023. I said it. There’s no backing out now. Hold me to it, Dear Reader.
It’s part of a group effort named 12 Significant Photos that will help me grow as a photographer. Planning photographs and returning to an area to find the best time for each photograph is an essential skill for serious landscape photographers. It’s not my strong suit. To make this project easier, I picked The Parklands because it’s close to home and includes moving water, still water, woodlands, fields of wildflowers, and a built environment. It’s Louisville’s natural playground and offers so many photo ops. At the end of this project, I will have a zine or maybe even a boxed set of photographs to share.
Starting this project has made me think about why and what I photograph. I tend to just go and see what I see. In fact, I made one of my favorite photographs when I was on my way to a planned shoot. That’s the “Winter Color” photograph illustrating this post. I made it on The Black Willow Trail at the Parklands. I almost didn’t stop to make this one because I was so focused on getting a planned shot for which I had woken up early on a frigid morning. Ironically, that one didn’t work out.
Recently, a peer critique pointed out that “Winter Color” is not as sharp as it could be. Specifically, the depth of field is so shallow that some of the ice and some of the leaves are focused more softly than others. In addition, shifting my viewpoint slightly right would have better separated the leaves from the background. To be honest, it took me a while to accept these critiques as valid since I was so proud of the picture.
Having accepted those suggestions, I had to decide whether to use them to make it better. I usually shoot without a plan and just see what I react to. Walking through the woods or by a river is part of my self-care. My daily work life is rigorously planned, and I crave the serendipity of coming upon something unexpected. Pre-planning my photography seems like work.
That’s why the 12 in 12 project will be a good thing. It will take me out of my comfort zone and force me to learn planning. After it’s over, I’ll probably go back to just wandering and photographing while saving planned projects for a handful of locations. But there’s one thing for sure. Starting in December, I will be looking for a frosty morning to make “Winter Color II.”